160th Virginia General Assembly
{{Short description|2018–2019 meeting of Virginia legislature}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox legislative term
|name = 160th Virginia General Assembly
|image = File:Richmond_Virginia_Capitol.jpg
|imagename =
|imagedate =
|term_start = January 9, 2018
|term_end = July 9, 2019
|before = 159th
|after = 161st
| chamber1 = Senate of Virginia
| chamber1_image = File:Senate diagram 2014 State of Virginia.svg
| chamber1_image_size =
| chamber1_alt =
| membership1 = 40
| control1 = Republican Party (21)
| chamber1_leader1_type = President of the Senate
| chamber1_leader1 = Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D)
| chamber1_leader2_type = Senate Majority Leader
| chamber1_leader2 = Tommy Norment (R)
| chamber1_leader3_type = Senate Minority Leader
| chamber1_leader3 = Dick Saslaw (D)
| chamber2 = Virginia House of Delegates
| chamber2_image = File:Virginia House of Delegates (2018).svg
| chamber2_image_size =
| chamber2_alt =
| membership2 = 100
| control2 = Republican Party (51)
| chamber2_leader1_type = Speaker of the House
| chamber2_leader1 = Kirk Cox (R)
| chamber2_leader2_type = House Majority Leader
| chamber2_leader2 = Todd Gilbert (R)
| chamber2_leader3_type = House Minority Leader
| chamber2_leader3 = {{Plainlist|
- David Toscano (D, 2018)
- Eileen Filler-Corn (D, 2019)}}
| session1_start = January 10, 2018
| session1_end = March 10, 2018
| session2_start = January 9, 2019
| session2_end = February 23, 2019
| session3_start = July 9, 2019
| session3_end = July 9, 2019 (special)
}}
The 160th Virginia General Assembly, consisting of members who were elected in both the 2017 House election and 2015 Senate election, convened on January 9, 2018. Republicans held one-seat majorities in both chambers, losing 17 seats in the House.
Membership
In the 2017 election, 25 women were elected to the House of Delegates, breaking the previous record of 19 that was set in 2013.{{cite web|last1=Bryan|first1=Alix|title=The historic firsts that happened as Virginia 'turned blue'|url=http://wtvr.com/2017/11/08/the-historic-firsts-that-happened-as-virginia-turned-blue/|publisher=WTVR|access-date=December 19, 2017|location=Richmond|date=November 8, 2017}} On January 1, 2019, Eileen Filler-Corn became Leader of the House Democratic Caucus, succeeding David Toscano. She is the first woman to lead a caucus in the 400-year history of the Virginia House of Delegates.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/a-400-year-first-filler-corn-breaks-many-barriers-as-new-democratic-leader-in-virginias-house/2018/12/27/b9322b14-0472-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html |title=A 400-year first: Filler-Corn breaks many barriers as new Democratic leader in Virginia's House |last=Schneider |first=Gregory S. |date=December 27, 2018 |work=The Washington Post |access-date=October 31, 2019}}
In addition, in the 13th district, Democratic candidate Danica Roem became the first openly transgender candidate to be elected and serve in a state legislative body in the United States.{{cite web|last1=Park|first1=Madison|title=Election night brings historic wins for minority and LGBT candidates|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/08/us/election-firsts-lgbt-minorities/index.html|publisher=CNN|access-date=December 19, 2017|date=November 8, 2017}} In the 21st and 42nd districts, respectively, Democratic candidates Kelly Fowler and Kathy Tran became the first Asian American women elected to the House of Delegates.{{cite web|last1=Moore|first1=Jack|title=Why women won big in Va. House of Delegates races|url=https://wtop.com/virginia/2017/11/women-won-big-va-house-delegate-races/|publisher=WTOP|access-date=December 19, 2017|location=Washington|date=November 8, 2017}} Democratic candidates Elizabeth Guzmán and Hala Ayala were elected to 31st and 51st districts, respectively, to also become the first two Hispanic women elected to the House of Delegates.{{cite web|last1=Nuño|first1=Stephen A.|title=First Two Latinas Are Elected to Virginia House of Delegates, Making History|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/first-two-latinas-are-elected-virginia-house-delegates-making-history-n818911|work=NBC News|access-date=December 19, 2017|date=November 8, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Unofficial results: Guzman beats incumbent Scott Lingamfelter in 31st District|url=http://www.fauquier.com/news/politics/unofficial-results-guzman-beats-incumbent-scott-lingamfelter-in-st-district/article_750cd6f8-c424-11e7-a57f-f3801c1b12ec.html|publisher=Fauquier Times|access-date=December 19, 2017|date=November 7, 2017}} In the 68th district, Democratic candidate Dawn M. Adams became the first openly lesbian candidate to be elected to the House of Delegates.{{cite web|title=Dawn Adams is first open lesbian in Virginia House|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/dawn-adams-is-first-open-lesbian-in-virginia-house|website=PBS NewsHour|publisher=Associated Press|access-date=December 19, 2017|location=Richmond|date=November 9, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Democrat unseats Loupassi by 325 votes|url=http://www.nbc12.com/story/36806651/democrat-unseats-loupassi-by-325-votes|publisher=WWBT|access-date=December 19, 2017|location=Richmond|date=November 9, 2017}}
Legislation
In the aftermath of the 2019 Virginia Beach shooting, Governor Ralph Northam called for a special session of the Virginia Legislature in order for it to consider different gun-control bills. The House of Delegates reconvened on July 9, 2019 only for it to adjourn again after 90 minutes of session. This decision was made on a party-line vote. Northam expressed his disappointment that no gun-control measures were considered. Speaker of the House of Kirk Cox called the special session "just an election year stunt". He criticized the Democrats' focus on gun-control bills without considering mental health and penalization of crimes.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/us/gun-control-special-session-virginia.html|title=A Gun-Focused Special Session in Virginia Ends Abruptly|date=July 9, 2019|work=New York Times}}